A Spanish firm has been linked to the delivery of a 110-ton forging machine to Russia, raising concerns about potential violations of international sanctions and Moscow’s efforts to sustain its artillery production amid the war in Ukraine, according to a report by Militarnyi.
Forward Technical Trade SL, based in Albacete, Spain, reportedly sold a used computer numerical control (CNC) forging machine to Russia’s AZK Group for $1.3 million. The equipment, manufactured in 1983 by Austrian company Gesellschaft für Fertigung (GFM), is capable of producing large-caliber artillery barrels, the report said.
Court documents revealed that the transaction was facilitated via Hong Kong-based Scorpion’s Holding Group Limited, with the shipment cleared by Russian customs in Nizhny Novgorod.
The machine’s classification was the subject of legal disputes between AZK Group and Russian customs officials, with authorities describing it as a radial forging machine while the company argued it was for rotary forging.
Experts say such heavy industrial equipment is critical for Russia’s ability to manufacture artillery barrels, which require highly precise forging to ensure the ballistic performance and accuracy of large-caliber weapons.
The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) has previously noted that Austrian-made GFM machines are well-suited for radial forging of artillery barrels and have been used by the Soviet Union and later Russia since the 1970s.
Since 1975, Russia has relied on imported SXP-5 rotary forging machines at its Perm-based facilities, acquiring 26 such systems during the Soviet era. Domestic production of similar radial forging machines has stalled, with no evidence of successful indigenous development despite past pledges.
The delivery of the Spanish machine comes at a critical time for Russia’s defense industry, which faces mounting challenges from the intense consumption of artillery ammunition in Ukraine. Barrel wear caused by prolonged high-volume fire has forced Russian manufacturers to accelerate production and replacement of gun barrels to keep their systems operational.